by Susan M. Heim
If the thought of heading to the grocery store with your twins is daunting, you're not alone. The tips that follow will help make your grocery-shopping trip as manageable as possible.
- Plan the trip for when the twins are in a good mood. If you've already run several errands that day and they're tired or hungry, give it up and go home. Don't try to shop through lunch or naptime.
- Scope the parking lot for a "kids' cart"--those cute carts shaped like a car or with special big kids' seats located in front of the cart. (If you only need to get a few items, the double stroller with a holding bin is probably best.) Get a Costco membership if you can because their shopping carts have two seats in the front-perfect for twins! When you spot your desired cart in the parking lot, park near it so you can easily drag it over to the car without leaving the kids unattended. Some stores have the carts lined up outside in front of the store. Although I don't normally advise people to park as close to the store as possible (everyone should get some exercise!), this is an exception to the rule. Park as close as you can, which enables you to quickly grab one of those carts at the front of the store without straying too far from the kids. If it's more than a few steps away, you'll need to have the kids walk with you until you reach the cart.
- If you can follow the tip above AND park next to an empty parking spot, even better! This gives you more room for loading and unloading, and the twins won't be running their fingers all along the dirty car (yours or the one next to it!).
- Try to shop during non-peak hours, like Monday mornings. Avoid the weekends when everyone is out and about. Peak times will slow you down and increase the chance that you'll be waiting in a long line to check out-a prime opportunity for your multiples to start fussing.
- When you enter the grocery store, head to the bakery first. Many stores offer free sample cookies for the kids. This will usually keep them occupied for a while. I'd recommend the sugar cookies over the chocolate chip as they make less mess! If your store doesn't offer free cookies, come equipped with your own stash in your purse.
- Have a pack of travel wipes in your purse. Use them to wipe down the cart handles before you put the kids in, as well as to wipe the twins' hands and faces after their cookies.
- Don't leave the twins too close to the food shelves if you're wandering down the row to locate something. They'll certainly pull things off the shelf, either smashing them on the ground or putting them in the cart as a "surprise purchase." Their hands are quick at this age! In fact, it's a good idea never to leave your kids' side for long. A tumble out of a cart to a hard floor could be fatal. More than 24,000 children had to go to emergency rooms in 2005 due to injuries from shopping carts. Make sure to use the child-safety straps.
- NEVER, ever cave in to the temptation to leave the kids in the car while you "just run in for a few minutes." The children could get kidnapped or die of overheating, or you would be arrested! This is against the law and never in the children's best interest.
